Occupational Health Watch: December 2021

Protect Older Workers from Falls this Holiday Season and Throughout the Year

U.S. retailers are expected to hire more than 500,000 seasonal workers during the holidays, many of whom will be older workers (55+). These workers are prone to more slips, trips, and falls in the workplace. 

Keeping older workers safe is essential to help prevent injuries that can sometimes lead to death. Workplace fatalities for older workers have been on the rise since 1992, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Slips, trips, and falls are the second leading cause of these fatalities. 

Employers are encouraged to take precautions to ensure older worker safety. Older workers should be assessed by a healthcare provider for increased fall risk. Those with moderate-to-high fall risk should not work on ladders, steps, and uneven surfaces.

To protect all workers, employers must establish and enforce a safety training program that includes how to safely use ladders and identify, report, and prevent other slip, trip, and fall hazards. Because ladder use can be dangerous, safety is important – especially in wet conditions. Take safety precautions like wearing slip-resistant shoes, cleaning spills immediately, and ensuring aisles are free of clutter and other tripping hazards. 

Resources

• Case Report: Grocery worker dies when he slips and falls off a ladder at a grocery market - CDPH California Fatality Assessment & Control Evaluation Program
• Two Older Workers Die When They Fall from Ladders (PDF) - CDPH California Fatality Assessment & Control Evaluation Program
  
• Preventing Slips, Trips, and Falls in Wholesale and Retail Trade Establishments (PDF) - NIOSH/CDC
• Holiday Workplace Safety - OSHA
• Fatalities to Workers age 55 and Older Trending Up - U.S. Department of Labor
• Productive Aging and Work – NIOSH/CDC Resource